I would be cool with that.

What is a price range you are playing with?? Also, would there be any single din replacement/exchange if we were unable to get the double din with the buttons to properly align?

 

have not thought about price, still messing with it, And there should be no problem with double din set up seeing as I would have it all installed on my car, a how too and also pictures of how you should mount the double din cage.

 

Well, let me (and all forum members) know what the deal is AFTER the pod is finished!! LOL

 

I've had mine out for the last day and a half and looking at it on My way to and from work thinking about mounting solutions, I would say that part of it would be a mounting base that would be fitted behind the dash and then the console to cover everything up; a two-piece solution. Biggest thing is that these radios aren't light and there will be a need to modify the back dash by possibly just cutting the bottom support for the single DIN radio out and then building something to support the double DIN from below. I'm going to try and see what I can figure out this weekend. Another thing I'd like to look into is if anyone has any old double din radio's just laying around that we can use to make sure that this works with multiple radios. It doesn't need to new or for that matter, anything in the last 5 years but if you have one laying around collecting dust, I'd be more than happy to be able to use it for testing. Reason for this, I am thinking that if it would be two pieces, we would want to make the console just big enough to let only the radio be exposed and not have to use the trim ring. Now I realize that every radio is going to be different but if we can get a general consensus on what the size of the opening needs to be, it will produce a better, more finished and factory looking piece than if we have to use the trim ring.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/07-Cr...em200225963410&

 

Nice find. Thank you!

 

Ok, I'll chime in on the first picture posted by CoupeGirl since it used to be my car and I've sat there and taken it apart first hand.

Total price for my install from stock to that picture was $900. That included everything (labor, paint, and install). Paint was $200 since it had to be custom matched and theres some metal flake in there as well. Install for a shop like I went to for a typcial Double-DIN is around $250 but was included in mine so honestly expect to pay $200 on top of this piece and paint unless you do it yourself. My installer did say that his guy had a tough time with it. Total time from drop off to pick up was about a week (hours to do it, I have no clue)

Here's some key things that you NEED to know before once you gut everything out. Frist, you're going to need to have the Double-DIN unit there as a template. Secondly, we're actually quite lucky that once you cut away the original bottom of the Single-DIN bracket the Double-DIN fits in nicely, tight, but it works. You'll have to prop it up with something (some small pieces of sub box wood), you won't see it so it really won't matter. In turn you'll more than likely lose your change holder (useless anyway). Thirdly, if you plan on selling your car but want to keep the Double-DIN unit you'll have to buy a new OEM front console @ ~$130

Can it be done a mass scale? Maybe but it won't be cheap. I let a shop do it because if something went wrong they would be liable for it. Even when taking out the unit for servicing. Once you start cutting the OEM piece and filling it with Bondo or Resin the integrity of the piece diminishes. The stock plastic is pretty sturdy.

Good luck with it, if it does turn out to be reasonable I might do it again. If this does come to fruition but you don't want to install it yourself, you might want to go custom all the way since it'll end up being about $300 - $350 to install due to the removal and cutting of internal pieces.

 

I can assure you that we will not be using as you called it, sub box wood to prop up the unit. What we are trying to get out of this is a double din unit that doesn't destroy the integrity of the car completely. Ideally, the only thing we want to have to happen is removal of the ashtray/cig lighter/airbag light and then cutting the bottom part of the single DIN radio support and leave everything else factory. I think what may end up happening is a core charge/deposit on the center console and then after you receive ours, you send your original back or not getting your deposit back. Again, We'll have to figure all the specifics out when it gets to that though.

 

What is 'sub box wood'? Is he talking about MDF? (Medium Density Fiberboard)??

 

Yes sir, it is.

 

Hi Guys.....

Wake up........ .to mass produce this console.......jejejeje....Just the mold will be more than $20,000.oo going cheap....... the rest is a lot of artwork.........

I'm working on my right now.... I paid on ebay $29.oo for a center console........ I'm using Liquid ABS plastid and molding it together to get somthing even better than the Alpine picture....... takes time.....and research........because I don't know **** about plastics......

For sure.....buy an used console and play with it.........

I'll post pictures in a couple of weeks when is done...

Beto..

 

Where are you getting your information from??? $20k for a mold, yeah, maybe if you're making an airbox with tons of complex curves and pockets. I deal with this and it's more along the lines of $4k, which is a far cry from $20k. Please be responsible with what you post as misinformation like this helps no one.

 

What is the problem with using MDF? I see no problem with using MDF in a reasonable way.

 

The problem with using MDF is that it is thick, heavy and highly susceptible to moisture. The heavy part I could really care less about if it would work but it is very thick, and there are much better materials we can use that would be better suited to what we are doing with it. The fact is that if we are going to use MDF to support the radio, what means are we going to use to attach it to a mounting point behind the dash? It's just not a very good option here. Now if your are building a rack for your amplifiers and subs or what have you, it's great. Here, not so much.

 

The only thing I would use MDF for is someone else' car. I have had great results with 7-ply baltic birch plywood, cabinet grade. Stronger, lighter, all around better material than MDF. It's is a lot more expensive, but IMO it is worth it.

 

LOL

Sorry to be rude but have you done this before on this car? No, I have and know how everything works and letting you know how it was done.

Good luck getting ANY traditional bracket in there to support the Double-DIN. You might as well construct a whole new Double-DIN console than to modify the original. We used 2 small pieces (1/2" x 2") of MDS or any type of wood (idk what it was called but it was light I was merely using that as an example) to put underneath the unit to allow it to sit properly as it allows the unit to be angled up a little bit. Can you tell in my setup that a bracket or wood was used to prop up the unit to make it level with the modified piece...no. The only thing you'll need is some mounting strips that you can bend to secure the top which screws into the bottom of the HVAC.

Once you shove the double-DIN in the hole after cutting out the bottom of the original it won't move very easily. You only need minor adjustments to make once it's in. It won't be perfect every time.

You can do what you want but it'll be pretty tough to make it an "easy" conversion. You should be more worried about how the outside will look, than the inside

 

I agree. Who cares what you use inside the dash? You make a bracket, I'll shim mine with some wood, we'll put them back together, and I'll give $500 to anyone who can tell which is which.

 

No need to apologize, I'm not getting in a pissing match with anyone about who did what, better, faster, sooner, how big or most expensive. I'm just disappointed with some peoples attitudes about how we are going to go about doing this. Anyone can cobble something together, some can do it alright and make it look good, few can do it right and make look great and we are trying to go about making it look factory and produce them for the members that want one. The problem with doing it is that it needs to be reproducible. That is what I'm getting at. I'm not gonna do this thing half-@$$ed and then put my name on it. I just don't do things that way.

 

Good luck with it, I'm curious to see how it turns out

 

Any updates yet?